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Monday, October 03, 2005

on struggle and sacrifice in the arts

"I myself have a very uncommon background, in that while I did study art history & criticism in new york and in Paris & started working on my masters, I did bend a lot of rules in order to get where I am in such a short period of time (I was Associate Director of Marlborough Gallery-- a blue-chip gallery with several international locations-- by the time I was 23; then left when I was 25 to become Director of Gorney Bravin + Lee)"
(my resentful response to this)

12 comments:

Anonymous
said...

What is the matter with you Martin? Jesus, this is the most pathetic attempt to get someone you are jealous and envious of to read you blog. Big deal, Sherry seems aggressive and Brian had a picture taken with dumb glasses, go ahead tease them, maybe you'll feel better about your sorry self. I am sure your happy just to get a response, isn't that the point of your entry, your not really trying to say anything are you?

The aim is not for them to read it either. If anything, my desired readership is only artists, especially those not living in NYC. I wish I had known earlier what a big NY networking thing it all is. I wish someone had told me about all the bullshit, how unqualified so many of them are. I really hate the system, am extremely frustrated with it, don't want to play it, don't know what to do.

no, don't delete. I was disgusted with the ed winkelman post as well. why get fussy about artist's owning an ipod. I don't get it. then make a gesture of generosity about artists' charm at parties. It sucks to sacrifice this way without payoff. Even hoping for the pay seems dumb and misguided.

by the way. I don't like the sound of sherry either. I guess it is just that she seems like a business person peddling artists. It takes a long suffering temperment to put up with all the rejection in and outside of the studio. By "in the studio" I mean the constant self judgement that is required to make the work better. Sherry sounds like a go getter. Maybe she reminds you of the type of artist who gets the most attention. You know the type... shallow art, hard-core self-promoter. Whatever, it is all ridiculous.

And another random thing. I hate it sooo much when people call it a "game" It isn't a game to me. There seems to be little sincerity or real credibility. The only reason to bother is that we enjoy making the crap which will eventually erode in basements. That's all. Sorry.

I would delete the post, you've made a judgment on someone you don't know. All the talk about "big ny networking thing" is just a means to set up an "Us vs. Them" situation to explain short comings in ones own work and career. It's counter-productive and a real waste of your energy. Spend more time promoting some artists on your blog instead of this crap (although I know you crave the feedback these posts get, differences do exist between positive and negative attention).

martin shouldn't pick on random people, I agree. I can understand why he would choose Sherry, but she is could probably just someone who is just very dedicated to the arts and not such a greedy self promoter. I wonder if martin just feels left out. I don't blame him for seeing it as an us versus them situation. There are the haves and the have nots in the art world. most are without the goodies. It stinks to put everything into a career that doesn't pay off. You have to admit that it is the case for most of us.

No, don't delete it. But how she has played it is how things do work. You have to give every single thing to an art career. I didn't know this till I was past 40. I (naively) thought just making good art would be enough. Not true at all.

It's not necessary to be upset or envious as regards one person though. You never know what all goes down in an individual's life. Plus life is long -- your own story is not all told. That's for sure.

you shouldn't delete it, but you should think long and hard about what a stupid thing you've said. what the eff do you know about sheri? how about the fact that she's spent the last 10 years fighting her way to the top of her profession in the most unconventional way imaginable among "ny networkers" - by building communities, encouraging mutual respect and support, working her ass off and above all else being honest and trustworthy (sometimes to a fault) in a profession not always known for succesful people who exhibit these traits. and all of this starting off without a single one of the advantages that so many people in this industry begin with (money, connections, a machiavellian nature).

i'm sure it must be very sad to be an unappreciated artist, or worse yet an unappreciated art critic, or whatever it is that you are. why don't you channel that negative energy into a more constructive hobby than ignorantly solipsistic navel-gazing and occasional finger-pointing - preferably something like snake handling or base jumping.